Fifth Graders From New York and Texas Win National Safety Poster Contest

Students from Elementary Schools in Austin, Texas, Utica and Rochester, New York Win National Center for Missing & Exploited Children Contest Tied to Hispanic Heritage Month

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Nov. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Fifth grade students from Austin, TX and Utica and Rochester, NY have won first, second and third place in the Hispanic Heritage Month Safety Poster Contest held by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).  The poster contest is held annually as part of National Hispanic Heritage Month, to help teach elementary school-aged children in Hispanic communities about safety. 

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111121/DC09359)

The 2011 poster contest winners include:   

First Place: Fifth grade student, Zavala Elementary, Austin, TX

Second Place: Fifth grade student, Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary, Utica, NY

Third Place: Fifth grade student, St. Lawrence School, Rochester, NY

The first place winner received a mini laptop, the second place winner received a DVD player, and the third place winner received a gift card, and all winners received a framed copy of their poster to be displayed in their schools.  The poster winning first place will be printed on a safety tip bookmark that is distributed to other schools, community centers and libraries.  

"We are extremely proud of these extraordinary young people," said Ernie Allen, NCMEC's President & CEO.  "Through this contest and their artistic talent and creativity, they have created fun, effective tools for teaching other kids about safety and keeping thousands of children safer."

Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 to October 15.  During 2011, more than 200 posters from elementary students in Florida, Georgia,  New York, and Texas were received.  The poster theme for 2011 was "Reglas de Seguridad Cuando Voy y Vengo de la Escuela / Safety Rules When Going To and From School".  The finished posters submitted used one or a combination of mediums including acrylics, watercolor, pencil, charcoal, magic markers, spray paint, crayons and / or pastels.  The posters were judged based on originality of design, reflection of the contest theme, and use of color and materials. 

About the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 1984.  Designated by Congress to serve as the nation's clearinghouse, the organization has operated the toll-free 24-hour national missing children's hotline which has handled more than 3,472,740 calls.  It has assisted law enforcement in the recovery of more than 169,840 children.  The organization's CyberTipline has handled more than 1,256,960 reports of child sexual exploitation and its Child Victim Identification Program has reviewed and analyzed more than 58,852,630 pornography images and videos.  The organization works in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice's office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.  To learn more about NCMEC, call its toll-free, 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST or visit its web site at www.missingkids.com.

SOURCE National Center for Missing & Exploited Children